quote: New medical trick can help catch some infections such as Babesia missed by even great labs. The patient is given at least two Babesia killing medications such as Mepron, artesunate at a high useful dose, or Malarone (given for the proguanil). These medications are used for ten days at a dose you and your physician feel is worth the risk, and hopefully will kill a few Babesia parasites. Approximately four weeks later, the patient is tested for antibodies to microti or .......duncani and ECP. If the ECP is increased significantly or the antibodies are positive, one probably has Babesia. Stealthy low volume Babesia is a common problem in tick and flea infection treatment. Talented health care workers commonly miss these red blood cell parasites, but this trick usually causes them to show up and can save someone from years of failed treatment.
Does anyone have a dr who uses this test to monitor babs? I've had negative babs testing and a few symptoms. Either way, I am going to be taking Mepron. I thought it would be good to get a baseline before taking mepron.
I had ecp test done through labcorp and the range is very different from Quest. Labcorp's range is 4-54. My number was 18. Quest has a range of 2-10. I also see that National Jewish is a preferred lab for this test.
Does your doc use this test? If so, which lab?
Posted by panicphreak82 (Member # 36403) on :
anyone?
Posted by Sojourner (Member # 9424) on :
Yes, my husband has been to two different llmd's who check ECP. Quest was used both times with less than 10 being in the normal range. His was 30 the last time.
Posted by panicphreak82 (Member # 36403) on :
ooo! Thanks for posting, Sojourner. I am going to Quest to get it done this week!
Posted by ktkdommer (Member # 29020) on :
My doc uses the ECP, two years now. This week I am at 10 and the goal is 10 or lower. I will do just one more round of artemesia. Could babs really be gone? I don't have any symptoms.
My boys' ECP's are in the 20's so they are still doing malarone. They were in 90's last summer.
We use LabCorp for testing. I believe their reference range changed this year. Doc still goes with the 10.
Posted by CherylSue (Member # 13077) on :
Congrats Kari! Did you ever take mepron or malarone with the Art? Do you take Zhangs Art II 3 times daily each month for 10 days?
Art II is very powerful. I've worked up to 1 a day. It's a lot stronger than the other Zhang's Art.
I'm awaiting test results from our doc. My ECP had spiked from 19 to 31 and then down to 24. I'm hoping it goes down further. It's good to hear that things are working out for you!
Posted by ktkdommer (Member # 29020) on :
I never did take malarone or art. I think plaquenil for what was thought to be lupus earlier helped with babesia. I never had high ECP numbers like my boys.
Yes, took Zhang's Art II 3 times a dayf or 10 days a month for 2 years.
Panic- my doc prefers LabCorp for the testing. Not sure why. The same is true for the CD57.